Sorry for the wait, thank you for reading, once again I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 11

Severus sat in his quarters brooding. Poppy had banished him from the infirmary with orders to rest in his quarters after he'd woken to find Harry gone. She told him Black had come for Harry and taken him home while Severus slept.

He sighed as someone knocked on his door, he'd been expecting Dumbledore to come and question him for some time. He was surprised, however to find Madam Bones on the other side.

"May I come in Professor Snape?" she asked as he stared at her.

He blinked and nodded pulling the door wider, "Please, would you care for a drink or perhaps some tea?"

Once settled in chairs with drinks he asked, "What can I do for you, Madam?"

She smiled slightly and handed him a parchment, "You've officially been cleared of being a Death Eater and of any wrong doing in the kidnapping of Harry Potter. I'd like to express my thanks for your part in stopping Voldemort from returning."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'd like the real story behind what happened."

"I'm quite sure I don't understand, madam," said Severus with a shake of his head.

"Oh, please Snape; I'm a senior auror and head of the department. I certainly can identify a load of dragon dung when it's presented to me."

She smirked and held up a finger, "One, Dumbledore was shocked that your mark had changed however neither Black nor Lupin were surprised. My guess is they already knew. This means it happened well before Mr. Potter’s spell casting at the stones."

She raised a second finger and said, "Second, if you'd had a tracking charm on the snake you would have offered to find it for the lad who was clearly heartbroken over its loss. Third, Dumbledore was not surprised that you allowed a child to have possession of a clearly poisonous snake He must have ample reason to believe it wouldn't harm anyone. Possibly the one of the secrets Mr. Potter didn't wish to share?"

Severus kept his face impassive as he answered, "Mr. Potter's secrets are his own I'm sure you understand."

"Ah, yes an oath," she smiled broadly and said, "I found it hard not to laugh at Dumbledore trying to circumvent the one that young Harry had him swear. He tried so hard to convince me that Mr. Potter had some dark talent without being able to tell me."

Severus blinked at her in shock.

"Well I suppose I should be going then if you can't tell me anything. Please let Mr. Potter know that I do not feel the ability to speak to snakes is dark and if he does have that sort of talent he would get a signing bonus on entry to the Auror Corp."

As she stood another knock sounded from the door. Then the knob turned and the door flew open and Harry Potter rushed in shouting "Professor are you here, we found her! She was hurt but Hagrid helped fix her up! Will you check her too?" He halted half way across the room when he noticed that Severus was not alone.

"Opps, sorry I didn't mean to interrupt," he blurted hanging his head.

"It's alright, Harry I wanted to speak with you," said Madam Bones.

"It is customary to wait for the door to be answered rather than just barging in, Mr. Potter," said Severus sternly. Just as he was wondering where the boy's minders were Black and Lupin appeared in his doorway.

"How can you run that fast Harry?" puffed Sirius as he threw himself into one of Severus' chairs.

Severus sneered, "Do make yourself at home, Black."

"Thanks I will, Sev, old boy," said Sirius with a smirk.

Harry edged toward Severus and asked, "What did you want to see me about, Madam Bones?"

She smiled warmly and sat back down. "Are you aware of what happened at the Wizengamot this morning, Harry?"

Harry said, "Sirius told me Professor Dumbledore tried to tell everyone I was the next Dark Lord, that I was violent and possibly unbalanced and a lot of lies about me and they should take me away from Sirius and give me to him so he could fix me because I used dark magic to get rid of Voldemort."

"Did he also tell you what happened after that?" ask Amelia.

Harry nodded slowly and said, "They laughed at him."

"What, how?" asked Severus in shock.

Sirius and Amelia both looked smug and Lupin snickered.

"The old git must not have gone to his office first just came straight to the meeting," said Sirius.

"I prepared a full written report for the Wizengamot most of them had it in their hands when Dumbledore stormed in and began to rant," said Amelia.

"Yeah it was beautiful, here was Albus ranting and raving about how Harry was going dark, using dark spells, killing professors, exorcising ghosts, and all when the report in front of them has an unspeakable analysis that says Harry's accidental magic combined with the power of prophecy to vanquish Voldy," proclaimed Sirius with a laugh.

"And they believed that?" asked Severus incredulously.

"Of course they did, those old fuc, er farts can’t possibly imagine a twelve year old could know more powerful magic than themselves," said Sirius.

"They laughed Dumbledore right off the floor. Then they called into question his suitability as Headmaster. The Board of Governors is here now speaking with McGonagall and Flitwick," added Amelia.

"Wow, is Professor Dumbledore in trouble?" asked Harry.

Amelia nodded her head, "I believe he is, does that bother you, Harry?"

He shook his head, "No not really, he's been kind of mean and not really very nice at all."

"Will you tell me where you learned the spell you used?" asked Amelia.

Harry looked at her for a long moment. Then looked at Severus, "What do you think, Professor?"

Severus blinked at the question and said, "I think we can trust her, Harry, I would also like to know but it is your secret."

Harry turned back to Amelia, "Will you swear?"

She smiled slightly, "I'm not trying to be sneaky with my oath but I've sworn other oaths as well. Will the words, I promise not to reveal the secrets of Harry Potter without his permission as long as those secret do not cause irreparable damage to another person?"

After Amelia's oath Harry said, "A portrait taught me the spell. It's in a really old language and I learned it in pieces cause I couldn't practice it cause bad things could happen and I wasn't sure I could do it but I knew I had to stop him."

The adults sat there blinking for a moment then Severus said, "Harry the portraits aren't allowed to teach spells."

Harry shrugged, "This one did, and her friends helped."

"Why don't you take us to meet this portrait then," suggested Remus.

Harry looked away, "She asked me not to, they don't like a lot of people to know where they are."

Suspicion began to take hold of Severus, "How did you find this portrait then, Mr. Potter?"

"Oh er, I was talking to some of the Portraits, you know getting to know them and stuff," said Harry.

Severus sighed, "Your snake hunt?"

Harry grinned and nodded.

"Snake hunt? You can speak to snakes then?" asked Amelia.

"It's not evil," said Harry fiercely.

"Of course it isn't," agreed Amelia, "I have two bird speakers and a beast speaker working for me now, I'd love to have a Parselmouth as well."

Severus snickered at Harry's expression.

"Oh, well, uh, there's supposed to be this secret chamber here with a basilisk in it. The Professor said he'd go with me if I find out how to get in so I've been talking to the snakes in the pictures, they know lots of cool stuff and one introduced me to Davy, he only speaks in parseltongue. He just pretends to sleep most the time."

"Davy?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah he's in the hidden stair on the second floor opposite the exit only wall."

Amelia shook her head and ask, "Hidden stair?"

"A circular stair from the dungeon to the attics that is supposed to be teachers only," supplied Severus.

Harry shrugged, "No one ever said I couldn't go there, anyway, Davy told me where I could find his grandfather's portrait, he was a teacher here a long time ago, and that he might know more about the chamber. So I went and found him and his friends in their private room. They wanted to know all about me, who I was and stuff. When I told them about Voldemort, Lady Wena told me about the Justice spell and taught me how to do it."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Lady Wena? Merlin, Harry please tell me that you are not speaking of Rowena Ravenclaw and the other founders."

Harry scowled and complained, "How did you guess? Godric said they hid for a reason. That everyone kept bugging them to solve their problems even though they were only portraits. And Sal isn't happy people thought he was evil and wouldn't listen when he tried to explain what happened."

The adults just stared at him in shock.

Before any of them recovered enough to question Harry further a scuffling noise and voices came from a small picture frame.

"Quit shoving, it's a small frame," said the first.

"Can you see anything?" asked the second.

"I believe the frames been hexed and if you grope me again I'll tear your bollocks off!" said a woman's voice.

"What kind of paranoid bugger hexes a portrait frame?" snarled the second voice.

Everyone in the room turned to look at Snape. He scowled and moved to the frame, tapping the edge mumbled something and three figures appeared in the frame.

The woman smiled and said, "Ah much better is young Harry here, then?"

Harry walked over to the frame and asked, "Lady 'Wena what are you doing here?"

She glanced over the assembled group and said, "We realized that your minders might want an explanation and wished to forestall any punishment if you refuse to disclose your association with us." She looked over the assembled group and added, "Perhaps introductions are in order, if you will Harry."

"Very nicely done, Harry thank you," said Rowena then looked at the adults, "I am sure that you have questions."

All four began to speak then glared around at each other while the portraits laughed and Harry giggled.

Severus cleared he throat and said, "I thought that portraits were not able to teach magic."

Rowena smiled and said, “While that is quite true for most portraits why would we have inhibited our own?”

“Don't you get bored hidden away?” ask Sirius.

“Not at all,” said Rowena, “We can travel to any portrait in the castle and we spelled the other portraits not to speak of us except under certain conditions. That includes the Headmaster portraits. Any new portraits receive the same spell the minute they are placed on the walls.”

“What kind of conditions?” ask Severus.

Gyriffindor grinned, “First a student, adults are too set in their ways, brave enough to break a few rules and look in supposedly forbidden places.”

“A student ambitious enough to spend hours in idle chit chat with bored portraits to get slivers of information,” said Slytherin with a smirk.

“A student smart enough to put those bit of information together and find the correct answer,” said the smiling Ravenclaw, “and of course a student loyal enough not to share their finding with just anyone.”

Amelia nodded and ask, “Speaking of loyalty where is Hufflepuff?”

Rowena laughed and said, “She's having a spa day in Cleo's in the west attic.”

“Cleo's?” Remus ask with a blank look.

“Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, she has several handmaidens that excel at massage. However one must be invited and Cleo gets into such a snit if you stand her up. It maybe quite a long time until you're invited again. So Helga would have attended even if the castle were falling down around us,” said Rowena with a laugh.

“We keep ourselves well entertained,” added Salazar “There are Roman Baths in the east attic, a gaming house in west dungeon,”

“A dozen battles, three hunting scenes and a brothel in the north tower,” added Godric.

“A place where men can gather to socialize with ladies,” said Severus smoothly.

“Oh, ok,” said Harry with a suspicions look.

Severus knew that look and smirked to himself, he knew the boy would be asking Granger sooner or later. He thought it might be an amusing conversation to listen in on if he had the opportunity.

Amelia drew a deep breath and let it out, “As entertaining as this is I must ask why you taught such a spell to a child? Why you didn't have him inform his teacher or guardian about a way to destroy You-Know-Who?

The three founders glanced at each other and Rowena said, “Harry needed our help. He didn't ask for it we offered after hearing his story. Harry had been greatly wronged by this evil man who was no longer a man. While the spell might have worked for anyone who has been wronged can you also say you have not wronged anyone. It is a very dangerous spell. Both caster and target can die as it calls on magic for judgment. We will not teach it to an adult and Harry has given his oath not to teach it to anyone or to use it on anyone else unless given leave by the four of us.”

Harry nodded, “I won't use it on Uncle Vernon or the Headmaster.” Then under his breath he muttered, “even if they deserve it.”

“Very well, will you be teaching Harry any more spells?” ask Amelia.

“Perhaps, it will depend on the results of his on going search,” said Salazar with a smirk.

“Search?” ask Amelia with a puzzled look.

Severus rolled his eyes while Sirius and Remus looked uncomfortable, Harry bounced a bit and said, “I'm looking for a giant snake in the Chamber of Secrets.”

She blinked and said, “But thats just a story it's not real.” She took in the expressions on the three founders faces and the fact that the three men wouldn't look at her and Harry's smug smile she said, “Never mind, I don't want to know. I think I have the information I came for. I don't suppose you will be willing to allow your existence to become public?”

The founders shook their heads and Salazar said, “No thank you.”

She nodded and stood to go, “Thank you speaking with me. I do hope to see you again. Harry if you ever need anything you can call on me.”

Once Amelia was gone Rowena and Godric left the frame and Salazar spoke to Severus.

“May I come and visit you again, Master Snape?” he asked.

“Of course, I would be honored,” said Severus.

Slytherin left the frame and Severus tapped in again.

“Why do you hex that frame?” ask Sirius.

“Because I don't like being spied on,” Severus replied.

“I'm hungry, can't we get something to eat?” complained Harry.

Severus called a house elf and the four settled down for a meal and idle talk

Epilogue

Severus Snape lounged in his armchair in front of the fire. He contemplated the last weeks since the destruction of Voldemort. Albus had lost all of his positions and much of his political capitol by insisting that a small boy could be the next dark lord simply because he had once again defeated Voldemort. People were beginning to think that the great Albus Dumbledore was jealous of Harry.

With Dumbledore gone from the Wizengamot the captured Death Eater from voldemort's re-birthing were given Veritserum and sentenced to the veil. To top that off Skeeter finally came through and Barty Crouch Sr and Jr were hauled in.

The list of things that his future self had given him had been completed. The horcrux's destroyed, Voldemort vanquished. Pettigrew captured, Black cleared and Lockheart humiliated.

Draco Malfoy had not returned to Hogwarts after the holidays as the potion he'd been given had wiped out his entire personality and memories. Severus had told Narcissa how Lucius had tried to protect the boy in the end and hoped she did a better job raising him this time.

Salazar Slytherin had paid another call to the hexed frame in his quarters and they had discussed both remaking Slytherin house and the basilisk under the school. They had agreed that while the wily founder would give hints to the Chamber of Secrets it might be wise to prevent Harry from finding the snake for a few more years. Severus sighed he could only hope.